(CNN) – Former U.S. Senator George Allen has received some good news should he choose to challenge Democratic Sen. Jim Webb for his old seat in 2012.

Virginia's GOP leaders elected to select their Republican candidate in 2012 by primary instead of by convention potentially helping Allen who may fare better before primary voters than party delegates.
The GOP leaders in Virginia were gathered Sunday at the party's 27th annual conference. The Advance, a gathering where members hold workshops and plan for the future, was held at a Washington-area hotel. Members of the State Central Committee, the governing body of the Republican Party of Virginia, voted 48-26 in favor of a primary instead of a convention, choosing to allow the public to select a candidate instead of giving the party power to nominate a candidate during a state convention.

Historically name recognition plays a big role in primaries whereas candidate selection by convention leans the process to the party's internal power structure making a challenge easier.

Supporters of a primary count Allen among their ranks. Allen has been rumored to be contemplating a rematch against Senator Jim Webb in 2012 but Webb has not declared yet whether he'll seek a second term.

Allen was narrowly defeated by Webb during the 2006 U.S. Senate election, after a controversial video on YouTube showed the then-Senator referring to a rival campaign's tracker as "macaca" at a campaign stop.

soundoff(7 Responses)

Mr. "Macaca" wants to hold office again? What else would you expect is this Confederate Commonwealth.

November 22, 2010 04:57 pm at 4:57 pm |

Kenneth Close

We are always looking ahead to the past> Change is by the numbers perceived but the rationalization in that thought.

November 22, 2010 04:57 pm at 4:57 pm |

Jim from Va

Jim Webb treats the voters in Virginia just like former Congressman Tom Perriello who just got voted out of office because he wouldn't listen to the people who elected him.

November 22, 2010 05:11 pm at 5:11 pm |

TPINO = Tea Party in name only= George Allen

So, recycling the" good ol' boys network" is the new Tea Party? George Allen will have to kiss the ring of Kock Inds and Freedomworks before his gets the nod. I thought the Tea Party was all about term limits.

November 22, 2010 05:40 pm at 5:40 pm |

Boomer

Webb will look like a full fledged GOP member by 2012 if he wants to keep his seat. He is already leaning right and with Obama dragging the Democratic party to liberal heights Webb will be quick to distance himself. Either way Webb is such a big mouth he will step in it several times before the election.

November 22, 2010 05:56 pm at 5:56 pm |

the real ib

I'll vote for Allen; Webb has time after time voted against the wishes of the majority of Va. voters. I have sent him several e-mails and he sometimes sends one back saying he feels like he should vote the other way and not explaining why. I thought he was elected to vote the people's way not his way.

November 22, 2010 06:18 pm at 6:18 pm |

GI Joe

I smell Koch Industries shoveling money like mad into Virginia – the state of Idiots voting for what is bad for them and all of us.